The present invention relates, in general, to a system for interpreting data from the surface of a geometrically shaped object. In particular, the present invention relates to a method and apparatus for processing data received from the surface of a geometrically shaped object, the object being disposed on a synchronistically rotatable platform operationally disposed to a controller.
In general, the transfer of energy to a physical, chemical, or thermodynamic process stream is determined by the work performed on that process. For example, the present day microwave oven transfers energy to a specimen contained within the confines of the microwave oven by bombarding the specimen with electromagnetic waves causing molecules in the specimen to vibrate billions of times per second. Heat is created when dipolar molecules (such as water) vibrate back and forth aligning themselves with the electric field or when the ions migrate in response to the electric field. The vibrations cause heat by friction at a depth of about 1 to 1.5 inches. Heat transfer properties of the specimen continue the process of thermal transfer by transmitting heat to areas of the specimen that are relatively cool in comparison to the areas that have been heated by the electromagnetic waves. The measure of work performed on the specimen is determined by power received by the specimen multiplied by time (W+P * T).
Mechanisms that provide the microwave oven data to ascertain the estimated power and time are well known in the art. Examples of such mechanisms are delineated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,812,393 and 5,883,801. Once the data is received by the microwave oven, the data is transformed into commands that are discernible by a controller disposed within the microwave oven. Generally, the controller is a computer or microprocessor based system. The computer or microprocessor has stored within its memories at least one program to facilitate the operation of the microwave oven.
Generally, the data received by input mechanisms is directed to the microwave oven""s controller for processing. For example, a user may physically input codes or numbers into an input mechanism or keypad associated with the microwave oven. The code represent cooking instructions for the controller. Another example of transferring coded cooking instructions to the microwave oven""s controller is by optical means. The user passes a wand or scanner over the cooking instruction""s barcode imprinted on the surface of the cooking specimen or object to receive work and that data is transferred to the microwave oven""s controller for processing.
Prior to the present invention, attempts to implement a more hands free approach to the control of a microwave oven have relied on user intervention to transfer data to the microwave oven""s controller for processing via optical wands and scanners. This approach limits the flexibility of the data transfer to the microwave oven""s controller. Scanning long data code strings in the form of a barcode is not practical from a user""s perspective. Scanning barcodes is fraught with miss-readings due to the scanning techniques employed by the user. In the case of long data codes, the user would have to make multiple scans of different barcodes or continuously scan a single long barcode. Requiring a user to scan multiple barcodes or scan long data content barcodes does not lend itself to a total hands free environment for entering cooking instructions into a microwave oven.
To aid the reader in understanding the terms used throughout the text, drawings, and claims the following definitions are provided:
1) Barcode: A linear representation of data; read by a barcode scanner in one uniform direction.
2) Scanning barcodes: Reading or interpreting a barcode in a linear uniform direction.
3) Synchronous transmission of data: data being transmitted referenced to a particular transmission interval of time.
4) Asynchronous transmission of data: Translated data not being referenced to a particular transmission interval of time e.g., asynchronous data is converted to synchronous data once received by a receiver of the data transmission. Asynchronous transmission of data is defined to be of selective or varying start times for synchronous data.
It would be desirable to have an apparatus for transferring data from the surface of a package or object requiring no user intervention. The apparatus would control the seamless transfer of data and would not rely on the linear scanning of barcodes. The apparatus would encapsulate a controller for providing the mechanisms for controlling the physical, chemical, or thermodynamic process stream for transferring energy to the object or package.
The present invention is an interactive interpreter of synchronous or asynchronous selective data from an annular indicia. The annular indicia has data contained thereon that is formatted into bit-cells. The bit-cells are angularly positioned about the circumference of the annular indicia. The annular indicia may, if desired, be rotated in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction enabling the interpretation of data encoded as bit-cells.
The present invention has a controller with memory, the memory having stored therein a software program or data structures that interpret the data contained on the annular indicia and the directional rotation. The rotation of the annular indicia may, if desired, be started and stopped at any convenient time without loss of data or reinterpretation of data. The data contained on the annular indicia may, if desired, be selectively disposed about the circumference of the annual indicia. The present invention enables a user to transfer energy or work to a physical object, chemical, or thermodynamic process stream in a virtually hands free environment.
When taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and the appended claim, features and advantages of the present invention become apparent upon reading the following detailed description of the embodiments of the invention.